How to find a perfect employee

By Lilly Oddy, Sep 20, 2018

ADVERTISEMENT

Long gone are the days of putting an ad up in a shop window, in order to get resumes through the door. Now you need to think outside the box as to how to bring in the perfect candidates. Where do you expect your perfect employee to spend most of their time? If you’re recruiting for a creative role, consider social networks such as Instagram. If you’re looking for an executive, then perhaps LinkedIn would be a better source for talent. Look for industry specific job boards, in order to ensure you’re only attracting the best of the best.

Be clear about what you want

One of the biggest mistakes employers make is posting a generic job advert, then will see dozens of generic resumes and candidates. If you want to attract the most qualified people for the job, then you’re going to need to be clear about what you want. An in-depth job advert is the first step in securing that perfect employee. Detail what you expect the role to entail and exactly what you’re looking for from a prospective employee. Make sure you don’t narrow the search done too far, however. You might be missing out on someone incredible, just by asking for too much from one person.

Do they really have the skills?

It’s all very well a potential employee telling you they’re perfect for the job, but do they really have the skills you need? Will they be a good fit for the role? You can find out if they are genuinely any good at what they promise to be using a test, questionnaire, open-ended questions, problem-solving exercises, and various other challenges. Someone who really wants the job won’t mind jumping through a few hoops to get it. Not only will you ensure they have the right skills for the position, but you’ll also see who actually wants to put the work in to secure that job.

Motivation and initiative

These are two key things you should look for in a potential employee, during the hiring stage. Look for these words in resumes and cover letters. Ask questions that will determine their motivation levels and whether they’re happy to take the initiative. Ask them if they have any ideas to help your business grow or what excites them most about working for you. It may also be wise to ask previous employers, when referencing, if they felt that person was motivated and/or used initiative. Remember, former employers cannot give a bad review, so be prepared for some dodging of questions.

Make people want to work for you

Finally, one of the optimal ways to find a perfect employee is to become the perfect employer. If you make people want to work for you, then you’ll always receive a stream of super-qualified resumes and candidates. Even before you’ve put any job listing up! Think about what you can do to help your team achieve success in their roles – and outside of work, too. A few extra perks here and there won’t go amiss either.